Don't Forget Who's Taking You Home
by MadScribbles
Summary: At an official Starfleet function, Bones has been watching as Jim dances with everyone in the room except him. He is feeling jealous until Jim finally asks him to dance, having saved the best for last.  Bones' POV


**Title: **Don't Forget (Who's Taking You Home)**  
>Prompt: <strong>#19 Ask Me, Bones' POV **  
>Rating: PG<br>Warnings: **None**  
>Word Count:<strong> 681**  
>Summary: <strong>At an official Starfleet function, Bones has been watching as Jim dances with everyone in the room except him. He is feeling jealous until Jim finally asks him to dance, having saved the best for last. **(Bones' POV)****  
>AN: **This was written for the jim_and_bones Sweethearts Challenge. Prompts based on those chalky tasting heart-shaped candies were claimed along and two people were assigned to write the prompt, one from Jim's POV and one from Bones' POV. Many thanks to my Sis, kerry-louise, for the beta. Love you, girl!

* * *

><p>It was always the biggest Starfleet party of the year, the Valentine's Day Ball. Sanctioned by no one but rumored to be the baby of Admiral Barnett of all people, it was pretty much a given that, if you were a member of Starfleet, and happened to on Earth on February the 14th, you were strongly encouraged to attend whether you had a date or not.<p>

This is how Leonard McCoy found himself standing against the wall of the Grande Ballroom, nursing a surprisingly good glass of bourbon and pretending to pay attention to Scotty as the man told one of his typically ribald stories while Leonard really watched the dance-floor. Or, more specifically, watched his Captain, best friend and sometime lover, Jim Kirk work said dance-floor.

He knew he didn't have any right to be jealous. They'd never placed a definition on what they had and they sure as hell had never set any rules on it besides "don't share your STD's with me."

Hell, they hadn't even come to the ball as a couple, choosing instead to arrive as a crew. But that hadn't stopped the _Enterprise_ couples from pairing off once they'd hit the doors and even if Jim had hung out with him by the bar for a drink first, that didn't stop the stab of annoyance Leonard felt when the younger man had suddenly said, "Oh, I love this song. Later, Bones!" and scooted off to the table where his yeoman, Janice Rand, was sitting with a few of the other crew members, where he bowed like an old-fashioned prince or something and held his hand out for her.

But that had been over three hours ago and Leonard had talked to Jim a grand total of four times, once in the restroom for crying out loud. It didn't help that the knot in his stomach was getting bigger every time he'd see Jim heading his way, smile on his face, only to veer off and ask someone else to dance (or be asked to dance) and, dammit, he was a doctor, not a fourteen year-old girl!

He'd just about given up hope when he saw Jim coming his way, this time with Gaila, looking as gorgeous as ever, on his arm. Petulantly, he refused to even make eye contact with Jim when the two split off, Gaila going to Scotty and Jim to him.

"I thought I better come over here and ask you to dance before you gutted someone in a jealous rage."

"Don't flatter yourself, Jim. I wasn't jealous."

"Ye were turning a wee bit green there, Doctor McCoy," Scotty said, eyes suddenly widening as he'd realized what he just said. "But green is a lovely color. My favorite color, it is."

"Okay, I was a little jealous," Leonard admitted to Jim as he watched Gaila drag Scotty off with an exasperated sigh. "Is that the only reason you're asking me to dance?"

"Hell no," Jim said, taking Leonard's hand in his and easing them out to the dance floor as a particularly sappy love song from the early 21st century began playing. "I just like saving the best for last."

Pulling Jim further into his arms, Leonard couldn't resist sliding a hand down the line of his Captain's back, seeking lower only to find his fingers smacked before they reached their intended destination.

"Hands off my ass, Bones," Jim practically shrieked in outrage. "My butt hasn't been pinched so much in one night since that planet with the lobster people."

"So I guess there's no chance you're bottoming tonight?"

"None whatsoever. Surely you're not complaining?"

"Only every other hour," Leonard said.

"And you love it."

"I love you," was whispered into Jim's ear before Leonard could even think about it and, when Jim looked at him, so much hope shone in his blue eyes that it nearly broke Leonard's heart. He'd been an idiot. "I'm sorry I never said it before, Jim."

Jim shook his head. "Don't apologize. Just say it again."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Bones," Jim said.


End file.
